Multiple roll toilet tissue dispenser

ABSTRACT

A multiple roll toilet tissue dispenser having a hollow sleeve portion and an insert portion. The insert portion is designed to be slidingly received within the sleeve portion and provides for storing a plurality of rolls of toilet tissue in stacked relationship. An upper assembly is attached to a top member of the insert portion and includes a toilet paper holder adapter to support a roll of toilet paper for rotation about an axis.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

U.S. Provisional Application for No. 60/647,449, filed Jan. 28, 2005, with title “Multiple Roll Toilet Tissue Dispenser” which is hereby incorporated by reference. Applicant claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. Par. 119(e)(i).

STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT:

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

This present invention relates generally to a means for dispensing toilet tissue and more particularly a multiple roll toilet tissue dispenser, for use in dispensing tissue and holding and storing multiple rolls of toilet tissue, and to the particular manner and construction of the multiple roll toilet tissue dispenser. 2. Background Information

An empty roll of toilet tissue can be not only a source of embarrassment, but also an inconvenience. There have been developed over the years a variety of dispensers which hold and store a multiplicity of rolls of toilet tissue. Known dispensers which meet the above problem provide two vertically, or side-by-side disposed rolls of tissue, and tissue can be used from either roll, as desired. Such designs are primarily installed by institutions, e.g., office buildings, theaters, service stations, etc.

However, this embarrassment and inconvenience of an empty roll of toilet tissue is certainly not limited to institutions. It is experienced in the home, as well. When the tissue roll in the home dispenser is empty, a new roll of tissue must be obtained from wherever these rolls are stored in anticipation for usage. Oftentimes, however, additional rolls of toilet tissue are not stored in a place that is convenient when needed. To add to the problem, many bathrooms in the home are void of a wall recess, or well, conventionally provided for facilitating a roll of toilet tissue. In such case, the roll(s) of tissue are simply placed on the floor near the toilet, or rest on the toilet tank. Both of these options are unsightly.

None of the known multiple roll toilet tissue dispensers are of a satisfactory construction for use in a home toilet. In particular, their construction either requires considerable effort and/or alteration to the existing bathroom wall or, they present an undesirable appearance. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved toilet tissue dispenser for use in holding and storing multiple rolls of toilet tissue, and is satisfactory for use in a home. The present invention meets this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is provided in accordance with the present invention a multiple roll toilet tissue dispenser that is particularly suitable for home, that presents a decorative appearance, and is not attendant with the problems and disadvantages set forth above. More particularly, in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the toilet tissue dispenser comprising a sleeve portion and an insert portion, the sleeve portion designed to receive the insert portion in sliding engagement. The insert portion includes top and bottom members which are connected to side members in spaced- apart relationship to accommodate the width of the usual roll of toilet tissue. The dispenser further includes an upper portion that adapts the traditional functions of rotatably supporting a roll of tissue.

Other advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the two primary components of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, namely, a sleeve portion, and an insert portion.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a multiple roll toilet tissue dispenser.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the sleeve portion of the dispenser to show the insert portion positioned therein.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the insert portion of the dispenser.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In accordance with the present invention, a multiple roll toilet tissue dispenser is disclosed. The multiple roll toilet tissue dispenser is directed to a toilet tissue dispenser for use in holding and storing multiple rolls of toilet tissue. In the preferred embodiment, the multiple roll toilet tissue dispenser relates to an apparatus that presents a decorative appearance, and is particularly suitable for home application. In the broadest context, the multiple roll toilet tissue dispenser consists of components configured and correlated with respect to each other so as to attain the desired objective.

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a preferred embodiment of a multiple roll toilet tissue dispenser 10 made in accordance with the present invention. The dispenser 10, which is generally symmetrical about a longitudinal plane, is generally composed of a sleeve portion 20, and an insert portion 30. As will be described and shown, the upper section of the dispenser 10 adapting the traditional functions of rotatably supporting a roll of tissue 100 thereby permitting the roll 100 to be selectively unwound, and the lower section of the dispenser 10 for holding and storing multiple rolls of toilet tissue 100 in stackable fashion.

As illustrated, the sleeve portion 20 has an elongated cylindrical body 22 that is hollow, and includes a cylindrical opening 24. As will be understood, the cylindrical opening 24 and hollow body 22 are sized to receive the insert portion 30 in sliding engagement. The sleeve portion 20 is preferably constructed of a rigid material. The sleeve portion 20 can, and preferably includes a decorative finish (not shown) on the surface 25 of the body 22.

The sleeve portion 20 further includes a generally flat circular end 26 opposite the cylindrical opening 24. The flat circular end 26 includes a lower surface 26A that in application rests on a surface (not shown) such as a floor surface. As will be understood, the sleeve portion 20 provides the stability to the dispenser 10 so that the dispenser 10 can appropriately rest on the floor surface.

In application as will be further described, the sleeve portion 20 receives the insert portion 30 holding the multiple rolls of toilet tissue 100 in stacking relationship. As a result, the dispenser 10 enables easy operation and is adaptable for many locations not available to horizontally laid devices.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the insert portion 30 of the dispenser. The insert portion 30 includes a top member 32 and bottom member 34 and means for stacking the stored rolls of toilet paper therebetween. In the preferred embodiment, side members 35, 36 are fastened between the members 32, 34. The side members 35, 36 generally extend parallel to one another in a longitudinal direction. The side members 35, 36 are maintained in parallel, spaced-apart relationship to accommodate the width of the usual roll of toilet tissue 100.

The upper ends 35A, 36A of the side members 35, 36 respectively, are fastened to the inside surface of the top member 32 by fastening means 38. The lower ends 35B, 36B of the side members 35, 36 each include extensions 35C, 36C respectively, such that the lower ends 35B, 36B form an L-shaped configuration. As illustrated, the extension 35C, 36C, are fastened to a lower surface 34B of the bottom surface 34 by fastening means 38. Such fastening means 38 is known in the art such as, but not limited to, screws. It will be appreciated, however, that side members 35, 36 can be fastened by any means desired to their respective top and bottom members 32, 34, for example, soldering, rivets, etc.

Alternatively, the side members 35, 36 and top and bottom members 32, 34 can be of one integral piece of a suitable material of construction, e.g., plastic, metal, plastic coated metal, etc., the unitary construction being provided in the desired final shape during manufacture. As illustrated, the top and bottom members 32, 34 each having a circular configuration for sliding engagement within the cylindrical shaped sleeve portion 20.

The top member 32 further includes a side member 37 sized to frictionally receive the upper end, the end having the cylindrical opening 24, of the sleeve portion 20. Referring to FIG. 3, the side member 37 includes at least one passage 33 having a slot 33A therein for receipt of a projection 27 that extends slightly from the surface 25 of the sleeve portion 20. More particularly, the projection 27 is disposed on the surface 25 approximately adjacent the cylindrical opening 24. The projection 27 can be integral to the surface 25 or, can be for example a screw head of a screw inserted through the surface 25. As will be described, the passage 33 with slot 33A and the projection 27 may be thought of as an attaching means in accordance with the present invention for releasably attaching the top member 32 of the insert portion 30 to the sleeve portion 20.

In application, and as will be further described, the insert portion 30 is inserted through the cylindrical opening 24 of the sleeve portion 20 such that the upper end of the sleeve portion 20 is frictionally received within the top member 32 until an edge 37A of the side 37 contacts the projection 27. The user can then rotate the top member 32 until the projection 27 aligns with the passage 33 so that the sleeve portion 20 can be further received within the top member 32 as the projection 27 travels along the passage 33. Once received and the projection 27 is in alignment with the slot 33A, slightly rotating the top member 32 so that the projection 27 is inserted within the slot 33A, releasably attaches the top member 32 and therefore insert portion 30 to the sleeve portion 20.

The other element of the dispenser 10 is an upper assembly generally designated at numeral 40 which as is known in the art, adapts the traditional functions of receiving and rotatably supporting a roll of tissue 100. The upper assembly 40 comprising an arm 42 having one end attached to the top member 32 and an opposite end attached to a bracket member 44 designed to receive the roll of tissue 100. Again, as the embodiments of the upper assembly 40 are known, its elements will not be further discussed. However, it should be noted that the upper assembly 40 can be fixedly secured to the top member 32 using fastening means known in the art or, can be integral to the top member 32 during manufacture.

In application, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, multiple rolls of toilet tissue 100 are placed in stacking engagement on an upper surface 34A of the bottom member 34, between the side members 35, 36. The number of rolls of toilet tissue 100 that can be stored is represented by the number of rolls of toilet tissue that can be stacked between the top member 32 and the bottom member 34.

As best shown in FIG. 1, the bottom member 34 of the insert portion 30 is inserted through the cylindrical opening 24 of the sleeve portion 20. The balance of the insert portion 30 is then slidingly received within the hollow body 22 of the sleeve portion. When assembled, an upper surface 26B of the end 26 can be in communication with the lower surface 34B of the bottom member 34. Alternatively, and as illustrated in FIG. 4, a space 39 can be defined between the upper surface 26B and lower surface 34B, such space 39 for including a weight (not shown) to further stabilize the base of the dispenser 10 when resting on the floor surface.

As should be understood, the dispenser 10 as disclosed will hold and store multiple rolls of toilet tissue 100 within the sleeve portion 20. As such, the stored rolls of toilet tissue 100 are stored in a decorative apparatus, convenient to the toilet since the upper portion 40 of the dispenser 10 adapts the traditional functions of rotatably supporting a roll of tissue 100 thereby permitting the roll 100 to be selectively unwound.

The components of the dispenser 10 namely the sleeve portion 20 and the insert portion 30, as described, can be manufactured of various materials. When manufactured of plastic such as but not limited to vinyl chloride compositions, polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS, etc., conventional molding techniques can be employed. The sleeve portion 20 of the dispenser 10 can be manufactured of unitary construction. The insert portion 30 can be formed and later assembled.

-   -   Further, the surface 25 of the sleeve portion 20 can be easily         provided with decorative surfaces. These decorative surfaces can         be readily provided in the manufacturing process, and can take         various forms. For example, a floral pattern can be displayed,         or abstract designs. The sleeve portion 20 can further be formed         from a suitable metal and later decorated, for example, by         painting. Or various decorative decals can be provided on the         surface 25 of the sleeve portion 20. Conventional forming         techniques can be used in the formation of the sleeve portion 20         from metal.

As many different embodiments of this invention will now occur to those skilled in the art, it is to be understood that the specific embodiments of the invention as presented herein are intended by way of illustration only and are not limiting on the invention. As such, while the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the claims.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the claims in the formal application and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given. 

1. A toilet paper assembly for dispensing paper from a roll and storing multiple rolls of toilet paper, said dispenser assembly comprising: a sleeve portion having a cylindrical hollow body that extends in a longitudinal direction, said body including a cylindrical opening at an upper end of the body and a flat circular end at a lower end of the body opposite the upper end, an insert portion sized to be slidingly received within said body of said sleeve portion, said insert portion includes a top member, a bottom member, and a plurality of side members fastened to said top and bottom members, said plurality of side members extend parallel to one another in said longitudinal direction, attaching means for releasably attaching said sleeve portion to said top member of said insert portion, said sleeve portion adapted to support multiple rolls of toilet paper, an upper assembly attached to said top member of said insert portion, said upper assembly including a toilet paper holder adapted to support a roll of toilet paper for rotation about an axis.
 2. The dispenser assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of side members are maintained in spaced-apart relationship to accommodate the width of each of the multiple rolls of toilet paper.
 3. The dispenser assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said insert portion receives the multiple rolls of toilet paper in stacking relationship.
 4. The dispenser assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the multiple rolls of toilet paper are stacked between said top and bottom members.
 5. The dispenser assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said flat circular end of said sleeve portion rests on a floor surface.
 6. The dispenser assembly as recited in claim 1, further including fastening means to fasten said side members to said top and bottom members.
 7. The dispenser assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein said fastening means is screws.
 8. The dispenser assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said upper assembly is integral to said top member.
 9. The dispenser as recited in claim 1, further defining a space between an upper surface of said flat end and a lower surface of said bottom member.
 10. The dispenser as recited in claim 9, wherein a weight is disposed in said space.
 11. The dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein said attaching means comprising a side member to said top member, said side member sized to frictionally receive an upper end of said sleeve portion.
 12. The dispenser as recited in claim 1 1, wherein said side member includes a passage having a slot, said passage and said slot sized to releasably receive a projection disposed on an upper surface of said sleeve portion.
 13. A toilet paper dispenser assembly comprising: a hollow sleeve having an opening and a flat end opposite said opening, said sleeve sized to receive a hollow insert through said opening, said insert having a top member, a bottom member and means to hold multiple rolls of toilet paper in stacking relationship between said top and bottom members, attaching means for releasably attaching said sleeve to said top member of said portion, an upper assembly attached to said top member, said upper assembly including a toilet paper holder adapter to support a roll of toilet paper for rotation about an axis.
 14. The dispenser assembly as recited in claim 13, further including a plurality of parallel side members fastened to said top and bottom members, said plurality of side members are disposed in spaced-apart relationship to accommodate the width of each of the multiple rolls of toilet paper.
 15. The dispenser assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein said plurality of side members are fastened to said top and bottom members with screws.
 16. The dispenser assembly as recited in claim 13, wherein said upper assembly is integral to said top member.
 17. The dispenser as recited in claim 13, further defining a space between an upper surface of said flat end and a lower surface of said bottom member.
 18. The dispenser as recited in claim 17, wherein a weight is disposed in said space.
 19. The dispenser as recited in claim 13, wherein said attaching means comprising a side member to said top member, said side member sized to frictionally receive an upper end of said sleeve.
 20. The dispenser as recited in claim 19, wherein said side member includes a passage having a slot, said passage and said slot sized to releasably receive a projection disposed on an upper surface of said sleeve. 